Traffic signal



J y 1935- .R. o. FERGUSON 5 TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed July 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1935. R. o. FERGUSON ,675

Filed July 2', 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 natented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claim.

This invention relates to traffic signals and by preference to that class of trailic signals which are illuminated to indicate the direction of travel either through a main thoroughfare, or .to the right, to the left, or any combination of these directions. I

An important object of the invention is to provide a trafiic signal of the character referred to, in which the signal element comprises a diagram or plot of a road or street intersection, with the several cross or intersecting streets delineated upon a board or other surface, in conjunction with an arrow or arrows indicating the direction of travel relatively to the intersecting streets.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a signal of the character described, in combination with a red signal lens controlled by suitable automatic mechanism to flash a red light at intervals alternating with a light which will illuminate the arrow on the signal so that the driver of a vehicle will know that he may proceed in the direction of the arrow, only, when the arrow is illuminated, preferably green.

Another form of the invention is embodied in a signal in which an illuminated arrow, superposed upon a plan or diagram of the streets at an intersection, is. combined with the three colored lenses, red, amber, and green, for example, and the improved signal herein referred to and its light-controlling means are so arranged and designed that when thegreen lens of the ordinary trafiic signal is illuminated the arrow is simultaneously illuminated, indicating that the driver may proceed in the direction of the arrow.

Other features and combinations of devices in connection with which the improved signal may be employed will be better understood from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing several applications of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a front elevation of the improved signal located below a housing adapted to contain four red lens stop signals;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the cover removed to show the interior of the light housing;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a three-colored trafll light signal box, designed to have four sets of lights facing as many directions, with the improved signal located below the trafilc lights;

Fig. 4 illustrates one arrangement of signals in 5, is a one-way street on which traflic may travel 55 connection with a five-way street intersection;

Fig. 5 shows an application of the signal to a circle at the intersection of six streets;

Fig. 6 illustrates another application of the improved signal to a four-way street intersection.

Figs. 7, 7 7 7 and 7 are diagrams illustrating from different sides, views of the 5-way street intersection illustrated in Fig. 4, the arrows 8 and road bars I0 being variously arranged on these diagrams to indicate variations in the permissible passing through the street intersections, and

Fig. 7 is a suggested form of diagram of circuits and switches, in connection with circuit closing means for traific lights in connection with a light to illuminate the picture of intersecting streets.

Referring to Fig. l, the traffic signal as therein shown comprises a board or surface upon which will be delineated a street intersection in which are two cross streets 5, 6, which may be painted whiteor of some light color in contrast with the darkened or black portions B. At the intersection is placed an arrow 8 having two points or heads, one, 8a, indicating a right-hand turn, and another, 81), indicating a straight course through the street 6 without turn to the right or left. A left-hand turn at this intersection is not permitted because of the presence of the road block or bar In indicating no entry by left-hand turn into the cross street 5. The arrow 8 is preferably of green translucent material, while the bar or obstructing element I0 is of red translucent material, and the box I2 upon one or more faces of which the signal is delineated, may have suitable means to illuminate the elements 8, Ill, when the red lens I5 is not, illuminated, and vice versa. The lens I5 is in an upper box or section I6 which may have a red lens on each of its four sides together with the usual shading hood I9, and the signal devices on the faces of the box I2 will correspond in numberwith the lenses I5. That is, if it is a one-way signal apparatus placed on the right-hand side of each street entering the intersection, there will be only one lens I5 and signal device therebelow for each box, whereas, if it is a four-way signal apparatus, to be suspended from an overhead wire at the center of an intersection, or supported upon a post or pedestal at such center, there will be four lenses and four associated sig- 'nal devices, as will be evident.

only to the right, the arrow 8 will indicate when illuminated, that all trafiic approaching the intersection in the direction indicated by the head 8b of the arrow, may travel through in a straight line, or, may make a right turn, as indicated by the arrow head 8a, while such traffic is signalled not to make a left-hand turn into the street 5 through the presence of the road bar l8. Drivers are thus advised instantly, when the arrow and bar are illuminated, in what directions they may travel, and when the arrow 8 and bar ID are not illuminated, and the red lens 15 is illuminated, the signal indicates that all trafiic through the street 8 at the intersection is barred.

Fig. 2, which illustrates a plan of the upper housing i8 which contains the traffic light lenses I5, is shown in plan with the top |5d removed, thus disclosing the interior of the housing. Partitions 28, extending diagonally from corner to corner and crossing at the center of the housing, enclose triangular spaces in which electric, or other lamps 2|, are located, each lamp being thus individually confined to its appurtenant'lens. By this arrangement the several lamps may be individually lighted by suitable mechanism, in the required sequence for the automatic control of trafllc. It will be understood that the means for so automatically and sequentially causing the lights to flow, is not a part of this invention, but may be of any common or well known construction. The lights 2| are so operated as to cause the illumination of the lenses If! to display a red signal for barring the passage of traflic through each street, consecutively, in proper time relation.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, a traffic signal box of familiar type having a red lens l4, amber or other fcaution? lens l1, and green lens II, which may be of the four-way variety, or one, two or three-way variety, has associated with it the improved signal one of which as herein shown, is placed upon each side of the box or container l2, and in each instance comprises a plan or diagram of the street intersection, with a green arrow G preferably of some translucent material thereon, and in this case located to indicate travel in one way only, namely, through the street 6, together with the bars I8 of red translucent material, indicating no travel, by a right or left-hand turn, in either direction in the cross street '5. In this arrangement, the green arrows G and red bars in will be illuminated when the green lens I 8 is illuminated,

- and at that time only will indicate that trafflc may pass through the street 8, but not into either of the intersecting branches of the street 5.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate several variations in the arrangement of streets at intersections, and in the traffic direction indicating arrows, embodying the same principle as in the forms of the invention respectively illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. In Fig. 4 the trafilc directing signal is applied to a five-way intersection, the arrow 8 being provided with two branches 8a, 8b, to indicate, either when illuminated alone in the case where the signal is used without the ordinary traffic lights, or if illuminated with, or in place of the illumination of a green light, that traffic is free to pass through. Under the latter conditions traflic is signalled to pass, either to the right in branch 2|, or to the left in branch 22, while the presence of the bars III at the entrances to the branches 23' and 24, show that trafiic is not to enter either one of these lanes of travel.

In Fig. 5 the use of the arrows and tramc indicating bars or elements I8, is applied to a circle at the intersection of five street branches. It will be seen that the arrows 8, 9, are placed on opposite sides, for example, of a street railway track 25 or curb making two lanes of traffic, the arrows directing the passage of traffic through the street 6, from its entrance to its exit branch on opposite sides of the circle 28, and indicating the free passage of trafllc also into the streets 29, 38, on the right hand side of the circle, while the bars I show that tramc may not pass into either of the street entrances 3|, 32, on the left;

hand side of the circle 28.

In the wiring diagram illustrated in Fig. 7 in which the letters G, Y, R refer to the green, yellow, and red tramc lights while the letter P refers to the diagram, or pictorial representation of the street intersection, the arrangement of switches S, S and S in the circuit is such that the intersection may be illuminated simultaneously with the flashing of the green light, or, if desired, the picture ofthe intersection may be illuminated without the illumination of the usual traflic lights. The manner in which this is accomplished forms .no part of the present invention, but one means for effecting this result is shown herein for purposes of completeness of illustration.

In the form of application of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, branches 8a, 80, of the'arrow 8, direct the traflic by a right hand turn or a left hand turn, in either direction through the cross street 5, while the bar l0 shows that traflic may not pass directlythrough the main street or thoroughfare 8 which, by reason of its being a one-way street, or for any other reason, is obstructed to the passage of through trafllc at this particular intersection. In this form I have illustrated other material which maybe placed upon this trafllc ,signal in the intersecting streets or roads showing the route numbers, as, route 12, or route 106". Other trafllc information or directions can also conveniently be applied to the street diagram or the signal, as indicated in this figure.

In all of the forms and applications of the invention herein illustrated, and in others which obviously may be adopted to carry the purposes and objects of this invention into effect, it will be seen that a characteristic feature is found in the employment at the intersection of a signal which includes a miniature diagram of the intersecting streets, together with an arrow, or arrows, superposed upon such diagram and arranged to show in what direction the traffic may pass, com bined with an indicating bar or traffic obstructing sign showing what street branches may not be entered. Preferably the arrows are of one color, as green, while the bars or street obstruction indicating devices are a contrasting color, by preference red, but it is obvious that any other combination of colors may be employed. Also by preference, the arrows and. the bars are of some translucent material which will transmit light from a lamp or other source of light for the signal orscreen, the rays of light being obstructed except at the translucent portions of the signal referred to.

It is contemplated to use the improved signal either in connection with a housing of the character shown in Fig. 1, having one or a plurality of red lenses, and arranged preferably above the box or casing on which the signal is mounted, or in connection with a signal light having upon one or a plurality of its sides the three differently colored lenses, as commonly used as traffic lights, and either of these forms may be suspended from an overhead wire or other support, or may be supported upon a post or pedestal at the center'of an intersection, in accordance with common practice.

It is also contemplated in some instances to use this signal without lights. For example, a diagram of the street intersections such as shown in the several figures of the drawings herein, together with arrows and bars to indicate courses of travel by traffic, may be mounted upon a board or other plane surface and erected at street intersections, without departing from the principles of this invention. It is accordingly, intended in the following claims to cover any of these several applications or modified constructions ofv the invention, in such claims as are by their breadth sufliciently comprehensive to include the same, and also include therein such other changes or modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the invention.

While I have made use of the term arrow throughout this description in referring to the means herein shown for indicating the direction of travel on the diagram of a street intersection, it is to be understood that any equivalent device or character which will so indicate the direction of travel is contemplated, and that the invention is not confined to the particular character or device herein shown for that purpose.

What I claim is:-

1. A trafi'ic signal of the fixed type, comprising, solely in combination, a diagram of streets at an intersection 'or crossing, means superposed thereon to indicate the direction in which tramc may travel through said intersection, and other means superposed on said diagram to indicate the direction in which trafllc should not pass through said intersection.

2. A traflic signal of the class described comprising, in combination, a fixed housing, means upon a face of said housing to delineate by contrast with darker portions thereof the diagram of streets at a street crossing, and translucent means on said diagram to indicate the direction and streets which may be traversed by traflic through the intersection, and other translucent means also placed in obstructing position on the diagram to indicate what streets may not be traversed.

3. A traffic signal of the class described comprising, in combination, a fixed housing, 8. diagram upon a face of the housing indicating by contrasting colors with a surrounding portion of said face a diagram of the streets at a street intersection, a translucent arrow of one color superposed on said diagram to show the direction in which traffic may pass, and a translucent bar of a different color arranged in position to indicate obstruction to the flow of traflic through one of the streets at such intersection.

4. In a traffic signal of the class described, the

combination of means having a plurality of different colored signals for use in controlling tramc at a street intersection, of a signal device in juxtaposition to such housing and comprising a diagram of the streets at the intersection, and means superposed upon said diagram to show the direction of traffic through the intersection, together with other means on said diagram to indicate the direction in permitted to pass through said intersection.

5. A traffic signal of the fixed type comprising, in combination, a support having delineated thereon a diagram of a street intersection in which a plurality of streets converge to a given point, an arrow superposed upon said diagram and comprising a stem and a plurality of branches, to direct traflic to the right and to the left of the center of the intersection into two branches of intersecting streets, and a sign or indicating means superposed upon said diagram in position to show that traflic is not permitted to enter one branch or intersecting street, said arrow and sign being of translucent material in contrasting colors, and means for illuminating said device.

6. A traflic signal of the character set forth in claim 5 combined with an adjacent red lens and means for illuminating said lens and signal, alternately to indicate that traffic is not to pass the intersection when the lens is illuminated, and that traffic may pass in the directions indicated by the arrows only when said translucent portions are illluminated.

'7. In a traffic signal of the character described, the combination of a support having thereon a suitable diagram of above the street and fixed for observation by a motorist, an arrow superposed upon said diagram and pointing in. a direction to. show that trafiic may pass through the main thoroughfare on the diagram, in combination with two bars or traflic obstruction indicating means located upon opposite sides of said arrow and positioned to show that trafiic is not to enter a cross street, either by right or left hand turn.

8. In a traffic signal, for an intersection, the combination of a means arranged to contain a changeable signal adapted to control movement of trafiic, said means including a diagram of the intersecting streets, means superposed on said diagram to indicate the direction of permissive travel of tramc to be followed by the individual facing said signal.

9. In a traffic signal for an intersection, the

combination of a means arranged to contain a changeable signal adapted to control movement of traflic, said means including adiagram of the intersecting streets, means superposed on said diagram to indicate the direction of permissive travel of traffic, said last named means indicating only the direction or directions of travel to be followed by the individual facing said signal.

ROBERT o. FERGUSON.

which traflic is not each of said branches being arranged v a street intersection arranged 

